Mercedes-Benz X-Class a "ute", not a pickup

Utility or pickup truck?

It might seem like a small thing, but to the majority of Australian buyers a pickup truck is an Americanism, and in any case a much larger vehicle. Simply put, Aussies drive utes, and Mercedes-Benz clearly understands the distinction.

Despite being dubbed a "pickup" in official Mercedes media statements drafted in Germany, the Australian operation says it will market the new X-Class as a "ute" when it arrives here in 2018.

"We will definitely call it a ute," Mercedes-Benz Vans managing director Diane Tarr told motoring.com.au at the unveiling of the X-Class in Sweden last week.

This is in stark contrast to Holden, which felt the heat recently after marketing its new Colorado as a "truck" in Australia, removing all references to the term 'ute' from its media releases and website.

Mercedes-Benz sees it differently, said Tarr.

"Germany calls it a pickup but [in Australia] we will definitely call it a ute. It's the traditional name in Australia, so absolutely we'll call it that."

Tarr observed that things get confusing when using terms such as "pickup" or "truck" in this country because “you start trying to introduce something people don’t really associate with”.

Expected to be competitively priced against the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger market leaders, the X-Class is the first ute from a prestige car brand.

Despite being based on a modified Nissan Navara platform, and built at a Nissan factory, the German prestige car maker says the X-Class is a true Mercedes, showing off an all-new exterior design and lavish interior fit outs.

Mercedes-Benz will offer a potent 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine in its flagship X-Class, which could bang out up to 195kW, potentially crowning it the most powerful ute in Australia.

With almost one in five new cars sold in Australia a ute, and total sales expected to near 200,000 this year, the versatile vehicles are booming.

The trend is global too, with around two million "mid-size" ute sales expected to reach 2.4 million by 2020 and 2.8 milion by 2025 – an increase of almost 40 per cent, says Benz.

Naturally the German company has seen an opening and is plunging in with the new X-Class, a billion-dollar development that it reckons will set a new benchmark in the segment.

The ute segment, that is.